Mix-up over cover brings £23k shock

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Chris Elsegood has no car and is faced with a £23,000 bill. (s)

A VICTIM of car crime is facing double heartache after an insurance mix-up left him with a £23,000 bill.

Chris Elsegood, from Headless Cross, had his £25,000 white Audi A3 S line stolen from his home in Fenwick Close on Friday, February 21.

Two men - one who was armed with a screwdriver - ordered him to hand over his keys and made off in the three-day-old vehicle.

But when the 26-year-old rang Audi’s Stoke dealership to tell them about the robbery and claim on his seven days’ free insurance, he was told he was not covered because the insurance was not activated.

“They said the insurance had to be activated by calling a number but nobody ever told me this and nothing was delivered with the car,” he said.

“The woman who I first spoke to before the car was delivered said she would do everything for me. Without insurance the car wouldn’t be released by the lease company, so I don’t know how it got delivered without insurance.”

He added he had called his own insurance company - which he has a recording of - to explain his new car did not need insuring until the Audi insurance ran out in seven days.

“Why would I call my insurance company to insure the car from that specific date if I wasn’t confident the the car would be insured under Audi before then?” he added.

The Tesco worker is now facing court action from the finance company which works with Audi to pay

the full cost of the car.

“I just feel like I can’t move on from any of it. It’s just like a massive cloud over my head and I’ve got nothing to show for it.”

A spokesman from Audi said: “Whilst we of course sympathise with Mr Elsegood and his very unfortunate predicament, we regret we cannot accept responsibility for the fact his Audi was not insured at the time this incident occurred.

“Audi customers wishing to take advantage of the bridging insurance offered by Audi Centres are required to provide the insurer with some personal information to confirm eligibility for cover.

“Data protection legislation prevents any other interested party from providing this information, so Audi Centre staff can only supply a customer with contact details for the insurance company.

“In accordance with standard practice in the insurance industry it is the customer’s responsibility to make contact and activate the policy in person. Unfortunately Mr Elsegood did not do this and was therefore not covered.”

He added because Mr Elsegood had purchased his car through a leasing agreement with another company, they were the legal owner of the vehicle.

“Its investigation into the matter concluded that the Audi Centre involved has no case to answer and we must stand by that verdict.”